T. G. Tucker, Commentary on Thucydides: Book 8

διὰ τὸ αὐτίκα κ.τ.λ. see crit. note. The ordinary reading is κατὰ τὸ αὐτίκα κ.τ.λ. As an expression of time κατὰ τὸ αὐτίκα is not found, and in any case would be hardly appropriate with ἑτοῖμοι ἤδη. διὰ τὸ αὐτίκα is of course impossible in such a meaning. If κατὰ were sound it would have to be regarded as governing τὸ . . καταφρονεῖν in the sense of διὰ, by a rare use akin to such expressions as κατ᾽ ἔχθος, αἰτίαν καθ᾽ ἥντινα, etc., while the variant διὰ would be its interpretation. The MSS. go on to read τούς τε (or with little support τότε) παρόντας. γε of P-S makes excellent sense, and if καὶ before πλεῖν is rendered as = etiam, the sentence becomes normal by joining διὰ (or κατὰ) with the following articular infinitive. The general sense is ‘their present enemies were not enough for them, and they were eager actually to sail against Athens.’